The sudden death of Mrs Annie Linfield, aged 57 years, the wife of a draper’s assistant, of 58/59, St Mark’s Road, Salisbury, on Saturday afternoon, was the subject of an inquiry by the City Coroner (Mr A M Wilson) on Monday evening at the Council House.

The husband, Arthur Elliott Linfield, said his wife had been in fairly good health recently but was medically attended about three weeks ago for neuritis in her arms and legs. He went home for dinner on Saturday and when he left to go back to his work she was sitting in a chair, reading, apparently in her usual health. About four o’clock he received an urgent message requesting him to go home as his wife was dangerously ill, but when he arrived she was dead on the sofa. His daughter, who was in the house, was so overcome with shock, that she was unable to attend the inquest, but had told him that she and her mother had being making preparations to have a cup of tea and go out, but her mother altered her plans and remained on the sofa, the daughter doing needlework by the fire. She noticed that her mother appeared unwell and tried to give her brandy, but she died before anything else could be done and never spoke again after asking the time before her sudden attack. She had complained of feeling sick and thought if they went out it would do her good. His daughter had suggested that perhaps the jam tart they had at dinner upset her but the rest of the family partook of it without feeling any ill effects. His wife had never complained of her heart and was a fairly active woman, and with the assistance of the daughter did the housework. Witness added that his wife’s mother died in a similar manner at the age of 56.

Dr Saunders said he was summoned to the house at about 3.45pm and when he arrived Mrs Linfield was just dead. He attended her for the first time about three or four years ago, and last saw her about three weeks ago, when she called at his house and complained of pains in the arm and he prescribed for neuritis. He had made a post mortem examination and in his opinion death was due to sudden diletution of the heart, brought on by the meal and aggravated by the condition of the kidneys.